Introduction: the dawn of civilization -- The Sumerians -- Ancient Babylon -- The Hittites -- The Assyrians -- The Persian empire -- Parthians and Sassanians -- Islamic empire -- Indus Valley civilization -- Mauryan India -- Ancient Egypt -- African civilizations -- Minoan Crete -- Mycenae -- The Etruscans -- Classical Greece -- Hellenistic age -- Ancient Rome -- Early dynastic China -- Qin China -- Han China -- Early Japan -- The Khmers -- North American civilizations -- People of the Andes -- The Olmec -- The Maya.